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Space Fleet Space-Log Episode 42
Episode 42 - " Expolsive Decomprexit / Tell that to Arc-Lightning / I think I'm gonna thrust / 'Calm Jeff' " Spacedate: 4257.110.08.00 Episode 42 finds the Boreas floating in space just outside the debris field that's all that was left of the Laak 3 Observation Station. The day previous, the Delta Squad Marines had gone on a mission to reconnoiter for salvageable Ionic Deuterium; they had mapped the area and marked a number of ID Deposits with Transponder Beacons, but the wreckage was infested with Ultra-Borg Conduit Worms and they seemed to be attracted to the signals! After battling a series of increasingly larger and nastier monstrosities, the Space Fleet Threat Assessment Heuristic Intelligence Program had determined that the Difficulty Curve on the Encounter was getting too steep, and that the Squad was ordered to return to the Boreas for an Upgrade Rotation while the Blue-Shirts harvested the Deposits marked and cleared so far. After a day off and a couple of Blocks for sleep the Squad was bight-eyed and bushy-tailed the next morning and ready to go(?). Zorf (learned Adder Stones) and Ray (learned Artifice of Sanctuary Ritual), upgraded each other's Constructs, while Sprout focused on finishing his Expert Disarm Training and learned Synaptic Overload in the Hypnotron. Delta Squad proceeded once again to the Debris Field in the Marine Shuttle, while the Boreas' Bridge Crew watched on the big screen, munching popcorn. All semblance of Com-Decorum now abandoned, they proceeded to alternately Heckle and Cheer for the Marines for the duration of the Mission. The Marines Psi'ed up their Air-Walk, Enviroveil and Aracnimotion Psionics, among others, then Anya announced that the the Mission was a Go and vented the Shuttle. Everyone made their Agility/Pilot Checks this time, so they exited with the grace and precision as befits being a Space Marine. The Squad formed up around Ray and the zipped through the debris field to one of the largest pieces of wreckage, that conveniently, also had a globule of Ionic Deuterium floating adjacent. They made Perception Checks of the area, but all failed horribly! Assuming that the coast was clear, they moved up to the ID deposit and Ray threw the Beacon in. For a moment nothing happened, then an enormously Humoungous Conduit Worm erupted forth, and it was both clearly En-Borganated and also much bigger than any foe they had ever seen! The sight of this horrifying monstrosity was too much for Sprout to cope with, so after failing multiple MS Checks, he went Minorly more Insaner, gaining Multiple Personalities! (But only actually one extra). He of course immediately failed his new MS Check for his new Insanity, so his new, Other Personality took over! The Other Personality turned out to be Noble; Respectful, Inquisitive and Calm after the Random Personality Generator had its way. Dubbed 'Calm-Jeff' by the other PCs, his Disposition and Character Traits were close enough to Sprout's own that no one really noticed the difference in the heat of the ensuing battle. Spacedate: 4257.110.08.21 Not only was this mother of all Ultra-Borg Conduit Worms massive, it also boasted an array of improved effects compared to the lesser of its progeny; its terrifying Shock Field had a radius of 10 Hexes, and it also appeared to be emitting another Fieldlike Effect with a radius of 2 Hexes! Given that all of the Marines were inside of the larger Field's effect as soon as it was activated, it immediately became clear that it inflicted Shock 20! Thanks to their prodigious layers of PR and Bonus Saves the Marines were able to mostly shrug it off, for the moment, but they all remembered the Ultra Borg's terrible 'Minus to PR' attacks! Rolling well on Initiative, Sprout and Zorf both half moved away, out of the Shock Field and Sprout Celertied and moved as well. Then the huge Worm opened up the incipient violence with a Critical Energy Blast at Sprout, but the flexible Plant-man Critical Defended! Ray and Zorf Squad-Commanded, (Zorf made his Check with a 4!), then Ray was hit with the AP30 Rail Field effect, and gave up a shit on the first time he was attacked, (that did not bode well!). Deciding to try and avoid further Ranged attacks, Ray charged in to engage the beast in Melee, but when he got there he found out that the smaller Field had a -10 to effective PR effect!, He was forced to make his Save against the Shock20 again when his PR got erased, which he made, but was still Shock 4d! This seemed to be too much even for 'Calm-Jeff'/Sprout to accept, and he started moving away from the conflagration. Just in time, as the Worm unleashed its 3 giant one-hundred foot long Tendrils, batting Braxxz out of the sky with ease and sending him flipping off into space like an appropriate analogy for that which is also good. 'Calm-Jeff' Defended an Energy Blast again, then Ray was forced to give another shit and still just got hit by the Rail-Field, (for 4 damage &1 PD), then got clawed with the giant Tedndril-Claw, for a Crit! The Claw it turned out was also Armor-Piercing, as well as inflicting PD, Poison and -1 to PR! Zorf fired up his new Adderstones Psionic, was unsatisfied with the results and Bennied, but was still just off the AC on the re-roll, so he used his Squad Commanded Buff to hit the Worm! It fired back at him with the Rail-Field shot, hit and cleanly bypassed his armor & tagging him on his mighty DC. 'Calm-Jeff' remained calm, and, moving over to a nearby piece of debris, dodged an Energy-Blast. Ray Adrenalized, then got Clawed. Zorf Aimed, but got sniped with the Rail-Field in the meantime. Braxxz continued spinning off into space. Unable to hold position in the -10 to PR Field any longer, Ray backed off and in frustration let loose with the Aurora Curtain. It was a Critical, and actually did 2 Damage past the Worm's immense Anti-Energy RF Field, but the Area Effect dissipated the ID Deposit, sending its spattering away in tiny droplets! He hit with the Adderstones too, and impressively almost blew the Worm's Hide off. Then it Hit Zorf with the Energy Blast; he made his Saves, and was still at Shock2. Sprout, asserting himself momentarily, moved back in a bit, readying an Action to hit it back simultaneous if he was attacked. Ray got hit with the Claw; made his Shock Save, (still Shock4), made his Poison Save, made his Force Save! Zorf meanwhile had fallen back behind a nearby piece of space debris while he tuned his gun, and Ray used his Squad Command buff to hit with both of his paired simultaneous attacks, hitting the creature on its Temp DC! Then 'Calm-Jeff' got hit because of Shock, Rose his Sap, but lost his RF because PD8 is Bullshit. The Worm Criticaled Ray again, (with the Claw again), because Crit-Range17 is Bullshit. He made the Poison Save, continued to be Shock4d, then double attacked with Adderstones & Bead-Lightning, only hitting with the stones. Braxxz continued spinning off into space. Around now Sprout made a concerted effort to force 'Calm-Jeff' out and re-associate his own personality, but was interrupted by an Energy-Blast from the Worm that he just Defended by 1 and failed his attempt, (but made his Bullshit Super-Save to not get another new additional additional personality!) Then the Worm attempted to Energy-Blast Zorf from the tip of its Tendril to get around his cover, but it Fumbled! Zorf blasted back with his Super Musket-Shot, but also Fumbled, with no Bennie, but made his Safety-Check. Ray got Clawed again, and with his Armor completely raped apart, was forced to resort to Resisting the Damage and Taking the ANL. 'Calm-Jeff' inquisitively tried to EMP it with his Zap Gloves, but it super Defended. Zorf was Rail-Fielded again and Ray Adderstoned it but it Natural 20 Defended and Ray got Energy-Blasted for PD 8. 'Calm-Jeff' missed with the EMP Knuckle-Dusters again, got Critted with the Claw Attack, and was forced to Rise the Sap! (but took the PD and made the Force Save), and attacked back at the Tendril-Tip, (insert: "Just the Tip Joke" here). With his Armor completely destroyed Ray was forced to fall back again, while 'Calm-Jeff' hit with a Squad-Command Squeeker. Then Zorf got Railed, 'Calm-Jeff' got Natural 20 Defended, and Ray got Energy-Blasted one more time, knocking him down to minus 3DC, leaving him unconscious and Bleeding-Out, floating Prone in space, with no environmental Protection Rating! Sprout was so traumatized by seeing his Squad-Mate get fried before his eyes that he made a new MS Save to come back into himself, and succeeded! Braxxz continued spinning off into space. At this point, with the morale of the Squad nearly broken and the fate of the mission hanging on a thread, Zorf grabbed Baticulous, called for "Operation Phoenix!" to commence, (Lt. Hu-Ora said "Hoo-Yah!" and started warming up the Plasma Battery), then Translocated right in on top of the Humongous Worm and Natural Twentied it for 30 points of Damage, (after RF)! Then he made the Save vs the Shock 20 with the -10 to what's left of your PR, and went to Shock4. The Claw attack Fumbled against Sprout, then Sprout moved away, was Critted again on the Free-Strike, but Rose the Sap, and made his Save vs Force. Sprout then moved to assist Ray, casting a Restoration, healing him and bringing him up from Prone as well! Zorf got Rail-Fielded, and took a bunch of Damage, while Zorf kept Flurrying, missed and got Clawed, then Sprout got Energy-Blasted but Defended to end the Round. Braxxz continued spinning off into space. Zorf took 5 Space Damage to start the new Round, but fought through it and continued his Flurry; the Worm Natural Oned on its first Defend and took a bunch of Damage, then he missed, Bennied, and hit again! Sprout Translocated Ray in, (Ray Active Spell Locked on the beast), then Sprout Translocated in as well and attacked! He mostly Saved against the Shock for Shock3 & Stunned it, then changed to Ghost-Touch. Meanwhile Zorf Flurried again and missed, but Ray hit to start his Flurry, then Sprout started a Flurry as well, (but also sucked, and Zorf got Defended as well). Ray Criticalled it with the Ice-Guuisarm though, (waggeling his Thumb with his Pinky out!). In desperation they all just kept Flurrying; Zorf Critted, Sprout missed because he had already used his Squad Command buff, and Ray Fumbled, Bennied, but still missed. It Natural 20'd then Natural 19 Defended to end their Flurries. Braxxz continued spinning off into space. The great beast finally broke free of Sprout's Stun-Lock on a 9 and attacked, Criticaling Sprout with the Energy Blast. Sprout Natural 20d on the bonus Iron-Fortitude Save against the Shock20, but made his regular Save exactly. Then the Worm hit Zorf with the Claw attack on his personal DC for 28 kinetic, which blew away his Force Skin and resulted in the dreaded ANL, but he made all his Saves. Zorf licked his Batliss-Blade for effect as Sprout attacked with double Jabs, hitting with both and Stunning it again, but got Rail-Fielded back simultaneously. He rolled shit to Defend, Bennied, and Defended successfully! Ray hit twice again, then Sprout tried to Synaptic Overload the Borg, but it was connected with the rest of the Ultra-Borg Hive-Mind, and he could not penetrate the imense psyche. In fact, trying to touch the Borg-Collective was a harrowing experience, and the Synaptic Overload was reflected back at him! The effect was eaten up by Sprout's Mental Fortification Psionic, but the whole experience was so traumatic that it forced a bonus Insanity Mind-Save, which he failed, then Disassociated again, 'Calm Jeff' reemerging. Zorf attacked, hitting, then 'Calm-Jeff' got hit by the Energy-Blast because he was Shocked! Ray kept attacking, but Fumbled and missed. Zorf got Critted by a Rail-Field shot, then 'Calm-Jeff' paired Snap-Kicked, but missed with both. After that, Zorf hit, then Ray hit it twice. The Worm Rail-Fielded at 'Calm-Jeff', but he Defended, then fired back with a Quantum Deceleration on the Worm; it failed its Save, but being immobilized and losing 4 Actions didn't really affect it, since it had 27 Actions per Round and had already missed using four of them while it was Stunned. It Energy blasted Ray, blowing off his Armor again, but he made his Save vs Shock. Ray Double Criticaled and nearly killed it, but not quite, 'Calm-Jeff' Defended against the Claw, then the Worm Natural 20 Defended Zorf and Rail-Fielded him. Finally Ray Crited it again and killed it, but got Energy-Blasted Back simultaneous! Sprout stayed Dissociated for a bit, and Commander Petiole was overheard telling Lt. Hu-Ora to stand down on Operation Phoenix. Sprout eventually came back from being Jeff the calm, and a rescue mission was launched to save Braxxz from being Lost in Space forever. One Combat Awarded Delta Squad finished clearing the debris field without further incident, (not counting a few more Ultra-Borg Conduit Worms that were dispatched routinely), then returned to the Boreas. Spacedate: 4257.110.09.17 While the Blue-Shirts started their ID Harvesting Operation the Marines were subjected to a rigorous Medical Examination by Dr. Mordin, (especially Invasive for Ray and Zorf, both of whom had taken the Fire-Hose ANL from the Mega-Worm and had Borg Sploodge coming out of their eye-sockets at one point during the Fight). Sgt. Johnson awarded the group a Squad Commendation for winning the Ridiculously Bullshit Fight, and Commander Domino awarded Zorf a begrudging Psi-Core Commendation for rescuing the Squad from its Imminent Critical Morale Failure with his Heroic and Awesome Translocate in on it and Critical it in the Face Attack. (Ray, this could put your status as Squad Leader to the test, if Zorf were to level up to Lance Corporal, Second Class before you he would likely be in line to receive the Job if he out-ranks you!). Episode 42 Epilogue How could the last fight of the season be tougher than this one? I guess we'll find out, as soon as I figure it out? 30 Generic Points Awarded Back to Space-Log Category:Space Fleet